Biochemical upgrading of oils
AssigneeBrookhaven Science Associates, LLC
InventorsEugene T. Premuzic, Mow S. Lin
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Abstract
A process for biochemical conversion of heavy crude oils is provided. The process includes contacting heavy crude oils with adapted biocatalysts. The resulting upgraded oil shows, a relative increase in saturated hydrocarbons, emulsions and oxygenates and a decrease in compounds containing in organic sulfur, organic nitrogen and trace metals. Adapted microorganisms which have been modified under challenged growth processes are also disclosed.
Claims12
A biochemical process for upgrading heavy crude oil, said heavy crude oil comprising saturated hydrocarbons, resins, asphaltenes, organic sulfur compounds, organic nitrogen compounds and compounds containing trace metals, said process comprising contacting said heavy crude oil with a bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of Thiobacillus thiooxidans BNL-3-26 (ATCC 55009), Thiobacillus thiooxidans BNL-3-26 (ATCC 55009), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-44 (ATCC 53982), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-45 (ATCC 53983), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-46 (ATCC 53984), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-47 (ATCC 53985), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-48 (ATCC 53986), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-49 (ATCC 53987), Thiobacillus thiooxidans BNL-3-25 (ATCC 53990), Leptospirillum ferrooxidans BNL-5-30 (ATCC 53992), Leptospirillum ferrooxidans BNL-5-31 (ATCC 53993), Arthrobacter sp. BNL-4-22s (ATCC 55490), Achrmobacter sp. BNL-4-23s (ATCC 55491), Pseudomonas sp. BNL-4-24s (ATCC 55492), Mixed Culture R.I.-1 (ATCC 55501), Acinetobacter calcoaceticus BNL-4-21s (ATCC 55489), Arthrobacter sp. BNL-4-22 (ATCC 53997), Acinetobacter calcoacticus BNL-4-21 (ATCC 53996), Pseudomonas sp. BNL-4-24 (ATCC 55024) Sulfolobus solfataricus BNL-TH-31 (ATCC 55023), Sulfolobus solfataricus BNL-TH-29 (ATCC 55022), Achromobacter sp. BNL-4-23 (ATCC 55021), Mixed Culture R.I.-10 (ATCC 55510), Thiobacillus thioooxidans BNL-3-24 (ATCC 55020), Thiobacillus thiooxidans BNL-3-23 (ATCC 55019), Thiobacillus thiooxidans BNL-3-23 (ATCC 55007), Arthrobacter sp. BNL-4-22s (ATCC 55520), Mixed Culture R.I.-9 (ATCC 55509), Mixed Culture R.I.-8 (ATCC 55508), Mixed Culture R.I.-7 (ATCC 55507), Mixed Culture R.I.-6 (ATCC 55506), Mixed Culture R.I.-5 (ATCC 55505), Mixed Culture R.I.-4 (ATCC 55504), Mixed Culture R.I.-3 (ATCC 55503), Mixed Culture R.I.-2 (ATCC 55502), Unknown NZ-3 BNL-NZ-3 (ATCC 55488), Mixed Culture R.I.-14 (ATCC 55514), Mixed Culture R.I.-13 (ATCC 55513), Mixed Culture- R.I.-12 (ATCC 55512), and mixtures thereof, wherein said heavy crude oil is upgraded to an upgraded oil having an increased level of saturated hydrocarbons, a decreased level of organic sulfur, a decreased level of organic nitrogen and a decreased level of compounds containing trace metals by comparison to said heavy crude oil prior to said biochemical process;
- and recovering said upgraded oil.
The biochemical process of claim, further comprising contacting said heavy crude oil at a salinity level from about 1.5 weight % to about 35 weight % and a toxic metal concentration from about 0.01 weight % to about 10 weight % of said heavy crude oil with a bacterial strain selected from the group consisting of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-49s (ATCC 55530), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-48s (ATCC 55529), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-47s (ATCC 55528), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-46s (ATCC 55527), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-45s (ATCC 55526), Thiobacillus Ferrooxidans BNL-2-44s (ATCC 55525), Leptospirillum ferrooxidans NL-5-31s (ATCC 55524), Leptospirillum ferrooxidans BNL-5-30s (ATCC 55523), and mixtures thereof, wherein said heavy crude oil is upgraded to an upgraded oil having an increased level of saturated hydrocarbons, a decreased level of organic sulfur, a decreased level of organic nitrogen and a decreased level of compounds containing trace metals by comparison to said heavy crude oil prior to said biochemical process ;
- and recovering said upgraded oil.
A biochemical process for upgrading heavy crude oil comprising saturated hydrocarbons, aromatics, resins, asphaltenes, organic sulfur compounds, organic nitrogen compounds and compounds containing trace metals, said process comprising;
- (I) providing thermophilic bacterial strains;
- (ii) subjecting said thermophilic bacterial strains to sequential conditions comprising increasing crude oil as sole carbon source and increasing salinity until said thermophilic bacterial strains are capable of growing in essentially crude oil as the sole carbon source at a salinity level between 1.5 weight % to 35 weight % and a toxic metal concentration from about 0.01 weight % to about 10 weight %;
- (iii) contacting said modified thermophilic bacterial strains with said heavy crude oil, wherein said modified thermophilic bacterial strain is selected from the group consisting of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-49s (ATCC 55530), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-48s (ATCC 55529), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-47s (ATCC 55528), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-46s (ATCC 55521), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BN-2-45S (ATCC 55526), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-44s (ATCC 55525), Leptospirillum ferrooxidans BNL-5-3 1s (ATCC 55524), Leptospirillurn ferrooxidans BNL-5-30s (ATCC 55523), Thiobacillus ferrooxidans BNL-2-48s (ATCC 55497), and mixtures thereof, wherein said heavy crude oil is upgraded to an upgraded oil having an increased level of saturated hydrocarbons, a decreased level of organic sulfur, decreased level of organic nitrogen and decreased level of compounds containing trace metals by comparison to said heavy crude oil prior to said biochemical process;
- and recovering said upgraded oil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.